For 10 days in November 2004, we embarked, with 10 other soon-to-be friends, on a safari to Eastern Africa to photograph wildlife and experience the local cultures in Kenya. We visited four different and distinct locations: the great Maasai Mara game reserve which forms the northern border of the Serengeti and is the home of the annual Great Migration; Lake Nakuru National Park, famous for its millions of migrating flamingos; Samburu Reserve, in Kenya's northern country; and The Mountain Lodge, a tropical rain forest residing next to Mt. Kenya.

The People

We were able to learn and interact with two of Kenya's local peoples or tribes. The Maasai, the "warrior nomads" of the southern plains, are perhaps the best known of Kenya's ancestral peoples. Today many still maintain much of their traditional way of life. Their legendary vertical leaping ability was developed as a way of intimidating the big cats, who perceived in them not just men but men approaching ten feet tall.

The Maasai settled in Kenya about 1,000 years ago, moving south from Lake Turkana into the fertile lands of the Great Rift Valley. The Maasai graze their cattle and goats over vast distances, and live in temporary villages, of huts surrounded by a thorn fence for protection. Their diet consists primarily of milk, meat, and blood drawn from their livestock.

Like the Maasai, the Samburu are mainly farmers/herders. They graze cattle and goats over wide areas of the dryer more arid north. Their lifestyle has not changed very much over the years. The live in low, windowless huts plastered with mud and cattle dung and survive on livestock, which is their form of wealth. They are a polygamous society, with the men able to take several wives after completing their duty to the clan as warriors.

One day while we were eating lunch by the Uaso Nyiro River, a Samburu male led his herd of goats to the river to drink and a learking Nile crocodile leaped up and grabbed one of the goats. Without hesitation our Samburu attendant jumped into the river and wrestled the goat from the croc with only his machette and wits. Saying that it is better to die or get injured trying to rescue one of its animals than to do nothing at all, its all about honor, bravery and code of a warrior.

We found both to be warm and friendly, and eager to show their way of life to all visitors.
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The Land

The country of Kenya is quite beautiful, featuring many square miles of rolling farm land, long stretches of white sandy beach along the coast, volcanic mountains, dry deserts, and of course, the primal African beauty of its national parks. Kenya's geography includes deserts, alpine meadows, forests, large expanses of open plains, dramatic valleys, huge freshwater lakes, and 300 miles of beautiful coastline.

Kenya is bounded to the north by Ethiopia and to the northeast by Somalia, a hot arid semi-desert. In the far north is Lake Turkana, the cradle of man, where some of the oldest human fossils have been discovered. Around Nairobi and the foot of Mount Kenya is the agricultural heartland of the country: low rolling hills and plains crisscrossed with farms, many worked by hand in the ancient ways. Most of the eastern coast of Kenya is almost tropical, with white-sand beaches and strips of tropical forest.

While we did not see all of the country, we did encounter some really beautiful spots. The combination of the landscape and the atmosphere results in dramatic sunsets and beautiful colors.
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The Wildlife

Kenya is blessed in having some of the biggest game animals in Africa. The old-time white hunters referred to the "Big Five," the most prized trophy animals of all: the elephant, rhino, lion, leopard, and cape buffalo. We were fortunate to encounter magnificent examples of each of the "Big Five," and of course many other animals.

Other animals we photographed included the lion, hyena, giraffe, elephant, buffalo, impala, gazelle, zebra, wildebeest, baboon, monkeys, leopard, cheetah, rhino, crocodile, eagle, flamingo, mongoose, snake, wart-hog, topie, camel, vulture, jackle, fox, and many many birds to name a few.

What was truely striking about each game reserve is its enormity and the magnitude and variety of the animals. All perfectly adapted to their environment and totally at ease with our presence.
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